This Request for Proposal (the “RFP”) is an invitation by the Regional Municipality of Niagara (“Niagara Region”) to prospective proponents to submit proposals for Niagara Region New Housing Incentive Program, as further described in Section A of the RFP Particulars (Appendix B) (the “Deliverables”). 

Introduction

This RFP seeks professional consulting services to research, compare, analyze, design, and cost a New Housing Incentive Program (“The Program”) before October, 2025. The new program will replace two (2) current programs (SNIP Property Rehabilitation and Revitalization Tax Increment Grant (SNIP TIG) and Smart Growth Regional Development Charge (RDC) Reduction Progam that will end April 1, 2026. 

The SNIP TIG/BTIG and Smart Growth programs were identified as “non-aligned” with Council Strategic Priorities, have no maximum yearly Regional budget, and represent 44% of the Region’s discretionary budget. In light of this information, both programs were recommended to end at the time of approval of the Niagara Region Incentive Policy (NRIP) in 2021. Regional Council approved the NRIP and made a decision to extend these programs to allow projects already in the queue a further opportunity to meet application timelines and believe there is a return on investment (ROI) for these programs. Regional staff is not able to directly quantify the return on investment. The new housing incentive program will be required to successfully replace SNIP/Smart Growth through close engagement and education with Regional Council.

The Program will become part of the NRIP providing incentives to the development industry to increase the delivery of housing and help address increasing the housing continuum in Niagara. The Program is to be established as a grant in alignment with section 107 of the Municipal Act that provides clear community benefit. The work to create the Program will consider current market conditions to determine where the need to incentivize is greatest in relation to the enhanced mandate of the Province and the Federal Governments to drive increased housing delivery. The analysis will assess the cost to the Region of a new Program and determine the optimal place in the planning and development approvals processes where the Regional incentive will tip the equation and ignite construction. The creation of the Program will include performance measures that assist in monitoring and demonstrating the effectiveness and value of the Program to the Region and others.    

The development of the Program will require a broad reaching consultation effort and collaboration with the Project Interest Groups.